Do you have a bad travel exprience?

[nuocmy89]

I have a nightmare in Hanoi and Sapa
In Hanoi we got in a taxi with a corrupt taxidriver, his meter was running twice as we were really driving and when we wanted to stop, the driver threatened us with a stick. He wanted the money for the distance he had already driven (20.000 dong for 500 meter).
There were 3 hotels with the same name in a row in Hanoi. We had booked one and the one we walked in said we had to wait until 8 am before we could get the room with window for 15 dollar (which they also said in a reservation e-mail). We could wait in a small other room without window (which they did not say in their e-mail; it said we had to wait in the lobby and could use the internet there). So when I asked about this internet at 8 am, they took me to the hotel with the same name next door. There I asked about the room and got the room for the price they e-mailed me. When I wanted to pick up my luggage, the first hotel charged me 15 dollar for the room! For just 3 hours without any using of the toilet or shower. And the room with window costs 15 dollar, so the room without should be less right? No, also 15 dollar. Great.
In Sapa my friend got hit by a car. He was protecting his head by raising his arm (cars were racing by on the road really close). His hand touched a outside mirror of a passing car and the mirror folded inward (like you sometimes do when you park your car on a busy road). The driver got mad and wanted 4 million dong (300 dollar) for his broken window (which wasn't broken at all). He grabbed a stone and wanted to throw it at my friend when he refused to pay. Thank god there were more people there to help him, because this would have escalated badly otherwise. An English guy and his Vietnamese wife passed by and talked to us and them. She said that the driver said that we were just rich Westerners and that we could well pay a 100 dollars. The English guy guy told us this happens everyday over there. So this is how some North Vietnamese make a living.
This is our experience and I am sure there are much more nice Vietnamese than bad ones, but take this as a warning. Be careful not to get hit by a car, because you have to pay for it.

[gturner]

What I nightmare. I am sure you will enjoy the rest of the trip.

I have a view on this as it is as I have traveled to a number of strange countries.
It is easy to save a few pennies by going direct and thinking you are clever, but I plan my travels in s only with reputable people in country. Pay a little extra to have a dedicated guy meet you and get you to your hotel and for 1 day of touring. That will get you inside the head of the local population and get you street smart before you head out on your own.
I also trust no-one I meet at an airport, taxi rank or hotel lobby.

As for the "not getting hit by the car" advice - I had to laugh at that, sorry. I try not get hit by cars most days ')

[jdepould]

I was just in Sierra Leone, and I saw a kid get "hit" by a car. A police officer sprang right in, and they both got into the back of the car. They both got out a few blocks later at a random street corner, no hospital, no police station, nothing. My driver told me the officer threatened to arrest the driver if he didn't bribe him and pay the kid.

Luckily I didn't really have any run-ins myself, except the passport control officer who wanted $10 because I supposedly had a piece of paper I wasn't supposed to have. I just played dumb, and eventually she got tired of trying to talk to me through the glass.

[ajri02]

This really a shame with Vietnamese because Hanoi is the Vietnam's capital.
But I think you would be better if traveling in the South of Vietnam: from Hue to Hochiminh, people are more friendly, polite...
I have a good time in Phanthiet maybe one of the best beach and the people is very warm. Mui Nee is beautiful and INEXPENSIVE
And I think you need check info anyplaces in vietnam before go to.
Why don't you search on
lonelyplanet vietnam ,
vietnam beaches and travel guide ,
Free Travel Blog to Share your Trips - TravelPod...and Google certainly

[candleman]

i had an awesome tme in Rwanda a fewyears back, but they all try in on to get what they can.

the worst part was having the taxi driver put his hand on my leg and tell me he loved me. (thankfully i wasnt alone with him) its funny looking back at it now.. it wasnt so funny at the time.
my three friends in the back didnt see what happened.

we had one guy charge us US$1 per black and white page we printed.

wehad a guy follow a group of three of us for about 30 minutes until we all confronted him and told him in his language to go away. that was the only time i felt unsafe in Rwanda.. its an incredible country.. i'd recommend anyone to go there. its incredibly clean.

another taxi driver made make us pay about three times what the normal going rate for a cab was, we were virtually in the middle of nowhere, with no other taxi's in sight... so we had no choice.

but lets face it...
if i was earning less than $1US per day and struggling to feed my kids or keep dry at night... i'd be doing the same things. (with exception of feeling up the dudes )

[nuocmy89]

Originally Posted by ajri02

This really a shame with Vietnamese because Hanoi is the Vietnam's capital.
But I think you would be better if traveling in the South of Vietnam: from Hue to Hochiminh, people are more friendly, polite...
I have a good time in Phanthiet maybe one of the best beach and the people is very warm. Mui Nee is beautiful and INEXPENSIVE
And I think you need check info anyplaces in vietnam before go to.
Why don't you search on
lonelyplanet vietnam ,
vietnam beaches and travel guide ,
Free Travel Blog to Share your Trips - TravelPod...and Google certainly

Thank but I will never come back

[socubeliveg]

Last year,I had the bad travel experience.That day,it was raining and I lost my wallet.I had no money.I have no choice but to ask my mother to help me.